1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of relational databases. More particularly, the present invention relates to a relational database that facilitates electronic commerce or “e-commerce” as conducted on an electronic communications network through the creation, maintenance and update of electronic lists, made up of items in the database, from any point on the electronic communication network.
2. Statement of the Problem
The growth of electronic communications networks, such as the Internet, as well as various intranets, extranets, and other local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) has presented a fertile ground in which to transact commerce. The amount of commerce transacted on-line over these networks has grown such that online or electronic commerce (also known as “e-commerce”) has become a major channel through which goods and services are bought and sold. In parallel with the growth in electronic commerce has come a growth in the information available regarding the goods and services available for sale online. As this growth has occurred, online providers of goods and services have sought to develop ever more efficient means of linking potential customers with the goods and services sought by those potential customers.
Despite these efforts, inefficiencies continue to pervade the mechanisms used to transact e-commerce. At present, potential customers have numerous locations from which to obtain information regarding goods and services for sale online. Many of these locations provide the potential customers with the ability to capture and evaluate information regarding the goods and services for sale at that particular location. However, the potential customers are not provided with a satisfactory tool for capturing, cataloging and evaluating the information gathered at all of these locations against each other, nor are they provided with a tool for updating the information that they have captured and cataloged. Likewise, potential customers are left with no tool for capturing information regarding products and services for sale online and products and services for sale offline in a single location. Instead, the potential customer is left to individually visit multiple locations to manually catalog the information captured at one location against information captured at other locations. The potential customer must manually evaluate the information captured online against other information captured online and against information captured offline. Potential customers are further required to individually re-visit each location (both online or offline) to update previously captured information. Without an adequate tool that enables the potential customer to efficiently and effectively capture, aggregate, catalog, evaluate, and update information from all sources in a single place, potential customers find themselves ill equipped to evaluate the myriad collection of often varying prices, inventories, and terms under which the goods and services that they are seeking to purchase are being offered for sale both online and offline. As a result, the online purchasing process often proves far less efficient and effective than other sales channels. Untold online business opportunity is lost when potential customers become overwhelmed with the information available to them in the online purchasing process and never reach the point of consummating their sale. Likewise, untold future sales are lost as post-sale frustration ensues when the customers realize that their purchase did not take place at the price and on the terms that were the most favorable available to them at the time of sale because they failed to fully and effectively evaluate all of the information and options available to them both online and offline.
Thus, while e-commerce is a viable channel of selling goods and services, from the viewpoint of the consumer, it is often not an efficient and effective channel of buying goods and services. It would be highly desirable to have a method and apparatus that enabled consumers to more fully utilize the possibilities of e-commerce.
3. Solution to the Problem
The invention solves the problems described by providing a single tool that allows the potential customer to capture and aggregate the volume of information regarding the products and services that are available to them online in a single database. Preferably, the single tool also allows the customer to capture and aggregate offline purchasing information in the same database. This tool preferably permits the analysis of all information, captured both online and offline, in a single location. Preferably, the location can be any computer connected to the Internet that is available to the potential customer. The tool preferably provides potential customers with automated updates of the information regarding the goods and services that the potential customer is considering purchasing throughout the period of time during which the potential customer is making a purchasing decision. Likewise, once a decision to purchase a good or service is made, the tool preferably provides a direct path online to the dealers of that good or service. The tool is preferably independent of any given online or offline provider of goods or services, and “sits above” the network through which providers offer their goods and services for sale. The tool allows the potential customer to efficiently and effectively locate and evaluate information regarding goods and services offered by many providers, preferably both on and offline, without tying the potential customer to any one provider.
The invention further solves the problems described by providing a single tool that allows a manufacturer to establish and maintain a display on its web site. The display of information preferably contains information regarding the vendors at which the products produced by the manufacturer are offered for sale, either online or offline. The present invention allows a manufacturer to establish a direct link from the display of information to the web sites of the vendors offering the manufacturer's products for sale online. Preferably, the display of information includes information regarding the price, availability, and features of the manufacturer's products. The information displayed is automatically updated with changes in existing information or new information. Preferably, the manufacturer may customize the display of information to include only the information regarding its products, and only the vendors offering its products, that the manufacturer desires to include in the display.
The invention preferably provides a data structure for facilitating the efficient storage and retrieval of information regarding the products and services in the form of a database. The information regarding each product or service is stored in the form of an object in the database. Each object contains a number of fields. Each field in each object in the database corresponds to a defined attribute of the products and services to be stored in the database. Preferably, each object contains a field corresponding to an attribute of the product or service stored in that object for which there is information available. The attribute to which each field corresponds is preferably also one of the defined attributes of the products and services to be stored in the database. Preferably, each field has an associated identifier corresponding to the attribute to which the field corresponds. Preferably each object has an associated identifier corresponding to the product or service stored in the object. Preferably, objects and fields are able to be referenced and retrieved from the database by way of their identifiers.
The invention provides a method for configuring a database system to store information regarding a plurality of items, the method comprising: establishing a database on a computer system; establishing within the database a first object corresponding to a first item of the plurality of items; generating within the first object at least one field; associating a field identifier with each the field; and storing at least a portion of the information within each the field. Preferably, for the plurality of items, the method further provides: defining at least one attribute of the plurality of items; creating a field identifier corresponding to each defined attribute of the plurality of items, the field identifiers comprising a set of field identifiers; and wherein the step of generating comprises: obtaining item information regarding the first item; dividing the item information into at least one category, wherein each category corresponds to a field identifier; and generating within the first object a field corresponding to each the category. Preferably, the step of associating comprises, for each field: selecting from the set of field identifiers the field identifier that corresponds to the same defined attribute of the plurality of items that the field corresponds to; and associating the selected field identifier with the field. Preferably, each the field identifier is unique. Preferably, each the field identifier includes a numeric code. Preferably, each defined attribute of the plurality of items describes a trait of the plurality of items and each defined attribute of the item describes a trait of the item. Preferably, the step of defining at least one attribute of the plurality of items comprises: obtaining information regarding the plurality of items; dividing the information regarding the plurality of items into at least one category; and defining an attribute of the plurality of items that describes the information in each category. Preferably, the information regarding the plurality of items is obtained from an analysis of the plurality of items. Preferably, the item information is obtained from an analysis of the plurality of items. Preferably, the step of storing comprises, for each the field, storing in the field the item information in the category corresponding to the field.
Preferably, each field is identifiable and retrievable from the database by way the field identifier. Preferably, each field identifier is unique. Preferably, the information regarding the first item is a first product or a first service. Preferably, the information within each field is information regarding the first product or the first service, respectively. Preferably, the database is a relational database. Preferably, an object identifier is associated with each object identifier. Preferably, each object identifier is unique. Preferably, each object identifier is a user name and password. Preferably, each object is identifiable and retrievable from the database by way of the object identifier.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for configuring a database system to store information regarding a plurality of items, the method comprising, for each item in the plurality of items, defining at least one attribute of the plurality of items, creating a field identifier corresponding to each defined attribute of the plurality of items, the field identifiers together comprising a set of field identifiers, establishing a database on a computer system; establishing within the database a first object corresponding to a first item of the plurality of items, obtaining item information regarding the first item, dividing the item information into at least one category, wherein each category corresponds to a field identifier, generating within the first object a field corresponding to each category, selecting from the set of field identifiers the field identifier that corresponds to the same defined attribute of the plurality of items that the field corresponds to, associating the selected field identifier with the field, and, for each field, storing in the field the item information in the category corresponding to the field.
In another aspect, the invention provides a database system configured to store information regarding a plurality of items, each item in the plurality of items having at least one item attribute, the database system comprising: a computer having memory, a database stored in the memory, a first object in the database corresponding to one item of the plurality of items, the first object corresponding to the first item, at least one field in the first object, a field identifier associated with each field; and information regarding the first item stored in the first object. Preferably, the plurality of items have a predetermined set of attributes, and the computer system includes a predetermined list of field identifiers, each field identifier in the predetermined list corresponding to one of the predetermined set of attributes, and the at least one field comprises one field corresponding to each attribute in the predetermined set of attributes for which information is known regarding the first item. Preferably, the at least one field comprises one field corresponding to each attribute in the predetermined set of attributes that is also an item attribute of the first item. Each field identifier associated with each field preferably comprises the field identifier corresponding to the attribute in the predetermined set of attributes to which the field corresponds. Preferably, the field identifier associated with each the field comprises an identifier unique to the attribute in the predetermined set of attributes to which the field identifier corresponds. Preferably, each field identifier associated with each field comprises a unique field identifier. Preferably, each field identifier associated with each field comprises a numeric code. Each attribute of the predetermined set of attributes preferably comprises a trait of the plurality of items and each attribute of each item in the plurality of items comprises a trait of that item. Preferably, the information regarding the first item stored in the first object comprises information regarding the first item stored in each field of the first object. Preferably, the information stored in each field of the first object corresponds to the same attribute of the first item to which the field corresponds. The database is preferably adapted to categorize the information regarding each item into categories wherein the information in each category describes an attribute of the item, and define the attribute described by the information in each category. Preferably, each field in the first object is identifiable and retrievable from the database by way of the field identifier associated with that field. Preferably, the information regarding the plurality of items comprises information regarding a plurality of products, services, or product and services. The database preferably comprises a relational database. Preferably, an object identifier is associated with the first object. Preferably, each object identifier comprises a unique identifier. Preferably, each object identifier comprises a user name and password. Preferably, the first object is identifiable and retrievable from the database by way of the object identifier.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for configuring a database system to store a plurality of lists containing information regarding a plurality of items, the method comprising: establishing a list database on a server computer system, the list database including a first list associated with a first list identifier, establishing a management tool on a client computer system, remote from the server computer system, the management tool including the list identifier, establishing a communications link between the client computer system and the server computer system, retrieving the first list from the list database to the management tool responsive to the first list identifier, revising the retrieved first list, and updating the first list in the list database to reflect the revision to the retrieved first list. Preferably, the step of establishing a list database comprises: establishing within the list database a first list object corresponding to the first list, generating within the first list object a first list field, associating a first list identifier with the first list object. Preferably, the step of retrieving comprises retrieving the first list object from the list database. Preferably, the step of revising comprises storing in the first list field of the retrieved first list object information regarding one of the plurality of items, the one of the plurality of items being the first item. Preferably, the step of updating comprises updating the first list object in the list database to reflect the revision to the retrieved first list object. The step of generating preferably comprises associating a first list field identifier with the first list field, the first list field identifier corresponding to the information stored in the first list field. Preferably, the step of revising comprises storing in the first list field information corresponding to the first list field identifier. The step of associating preferably comprises: generating the first list identifier, and associating the first list identifier with the first list object. Preferably, the first list identifier is unique. Preferably, the first list identifier includes a user name and password generated by a user of the list database.
Preferably, the step of revising comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database including stored information relating to the first item; and creating a pointer in the first list field referencing the information relating to the first item stored in the item database. The step of revising preferably comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database including stored information relating to the first item, and creating a copy in the first list field of the information relating to the first item stored in the item database. The step of revising further preferably comprises, responsive to a command issued to the management tool, identifying the first list field and revising the first list field to remove the stored information regarding the first item from the first list field. The step of revising further preferably comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database including first item information relating to a first item, and responsive to a command issued by the management tool, revising the first list field to include a pointer referencing the first item. Preferably, the method comprises retrieving the first item information from the item database to the management tool; and displaying a graphical representation of the first item information on a user interface of the management tool.
Preferably, the step of revising comprises: capturing information relating to a first provided item, and the step of revising comprises revising the first list field to include a pointer referencing the first provided item. The step of capturing preferably comprises: establishing a communications link between the client computer system and an item provider computer system, the item provider computer system remote from the client computer system and including information relating to a first provided item, responsive to a command issued to the management tool, locating the first provided item on the item provider computer system, and capturing the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of capturing comprises: providing a template database on a template database server computer system remote from the client computer system, the template database including one or more templates, each corresponding to an information structure, determining a structure for the information relating to the first provided item, retrieving a template corresponding to the structure from the template database to the management tool, applying the template to the provided item information to parse the information relating to the first provided item, and capturing the parsed information with the management tool. Preferably, the step of revising comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database storing information relating to a plurality of items, comparing the captured information relating to the first provided item with the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items, responsive to a pre-established rule, revising the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items to include the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of revising comprises revising the first list field to include a pointer referencing the information relating to first provided item in the item database. Preferably, the step of responsive to a pre-established rule, revising the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items comprises: determining if the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items includes the captured information relating to the first provided item, and revising the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items to include the captured information relating to the first provided item if the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items does not include the captured information relating to the first provided item.
Preferably, the step of revising comprises: providing information relating to a first provided item to the management tool, establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database storing information relating to a plurality of items, revising the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items to include the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of revising comprises revising the first list field to include a pointer referencing the information relating to the first provided item in the item database.
Preferably, the first list field stores information regarding a first item. Preferably, responsive to a command issued by the management tool, the method includes the steps of establishing a communications link between the client computer system and an item provider computer system, the item provider computer system remote from the client computer system and offering the first item for sale, and facilitating the purchase of the first item from the item provider computer system. Preferably, the step of revising comprises the step of capturing purchase information relating to the purchase of the first item and updating the first list in the list database to reflect the inclusion of the purchase information in the retrieved first list. The purchase information preferably comprises information relating to one or more of: price, quantity, shipping method, and delivery date. The step of establishing a communications link between the client computer system and the server computer system preferably comprises establishing a communications link using one or more of the Internet, a wide area network, and a local area network. The step of establishing a communications link between the client computer system and the list database server computer system preferably comprises: providing a browser tool on the client computer system, instructing the browser tool to locate the item provider computer system; and instructing the browser tool to search the item provider computer system for the provided item information.
Preferably, the method comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, establishing within the item database a first item object corresponding to the first item, generating within the first item object at least one item field, associating an item field identifier with each item field, and storing at least a portion of the information regarding the first item within each item field. The step of revising preferably comprises storing in the first list field of the retrieved first list object a pointer referencing the first item object.
Preferably, the method comprises: establishing an item database on the server computer system, the item database storing information relating to the plurality of items, capturing information regarding a first provided item and information regarding a provider of the first provided item, comparing the captured information with the information stored in the item database relating to the plurality of items to determine if the captured information is included in the information stored in the item database, and revising the item database to any captured information not included in the information stored in the item database. Preferably, the step of revising comprises: establishing within the item database a first item object corresponding the first provided item, generating within the first item object at least one item field, associating an item field identifier with each item field, and storing a portion of the information regarding the first provided item within each item field. Preferably, the step of revising comprises establishing within the item database a first provider object corresponding to the item provider, generating within the first provider object at least one item field, associating a provider field identifier with each the provider field, and storing a portion of the information regarding the item provider within each provider field. Preferably, the item database includes a first item object, comprising associating the provider object with the first item object. Preferably, the step of revising comprises storing in the first list field of the retrieved first list object a pointer referencing the first item object. Preferably, the first list includes a first item and wherein the step of revising comprises the step of, responsive to a command issued to the management tool, identifying the first item and revising the retrieved first list to remove the first item from the retrieved list.
The step of step of revising preferably comprises: establishing an item database on an item database server computer system remote from the client computer system, the item database including item information relating to a first item, responsive to a command issued by the management tool, retrieving the item information from the item database to the management tool, and responsive to a command issued by the management tool, capturing the item information relating to the first item, and revising the retrieved first list to include the item information relating to the first item.
The step of revising comprises: establishing a communications link between the client computer system and an item provider computer system, the item provider computer system remote from the client computer system and including information relating to a first provided item, responsive to a command issued to the client computer system, locating the first provided item on the item provider computer system, capturing the information relating to the first provided item with the management tool, and responsive to a command issued by the management tool, revising the retrieved first list to include the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of capturing comprises: providing a template database on a template database server computer system remote from the client computer system, the template database including one or more templates, each corresponding to an information structure, determining a structure for the information relating to the first provided item, retrieving a template corresponding to the structure from the template database to the management tool, applying the template to the provided item information to parse the information relating to he first provided item; and capturing the parsed information with the management tool. Preferably, the step of revising the retrieved first list comprises establishing an item database on an item database server computer system remote from the client computer system, the item database including stored information relating to a first item, comparing the information relating to the first provided item with the stored information relating to the first item, responsive to a pre-established rule, revising the stored information relating to the first item to include the information relating to the first provided item, and responsive to a command issued to the management tool, revising the retrieved first list to include the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of responsive to a pre-established rule, revising the information relating to the first item comprises: determining if the information relating to the first provided item and the information relating to the first item relate to the same item, and revising the information relating to the first item to include the information relating to the first provided item if the information relating to the first item relates to the same item as the information relating to the first provided item. Preferably, the step of revising comprises providing information relating to a first provided item to the management tool, and, responsive to a command issued to the management tool, revising the retrieved first list to include the information relating to the first provided item.
Preferably, the retrieved first list includes a first item and the method comprises, responsive to a command issued by the management tool, establishing a communications link between the client computer system and an item provider computer system, the item provider computer system remote from the client computer system and offering the first item for sale, and purchasing the first item from the item provider computer system. Preferably, the step of revising comprises: capturing purchase information relating to the purchase of the first item, and updating the first list in the database to reflect the inclusion of the purchase information in the retrieved first list. Preferably, the purchase information comprises information relating to one or more of: price, quantity, shipping method, and delivery date. Preferably, the step of establishing a communications link between the client computer system and the list database server computer system comprises establishing a communications link using one or more of the Internet, a wide area network, and a local area network. Preferably, the step of establishing a communications link between the client computer system and the list database server computer system comprises, providing a browser tool on the client computer system, instructing the browser tool to locate the item provider computer system, and instructing the browser tool to search the item provider computer system for the provided item information.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for creating an electronic list of items, the method comprising: establishing a list database on a server computer system, establishing a management tool on a client computer system remote from the server computer system, the management tool including a list identifier, establishing a communications link between the server computer system and the client computer system, responsive to a signal issued by the client computer, establishing a communications link to an item provider computer system remote from both the server computer system and the client computer system, locating an item on the item provider computer system, responsive to a command issued to the management tool, adding a pointer referencing the item to a list associated with the list identifier in the list database on the server computer system.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for maintaining an electronic list, the method comprising: establishing a management tool on a client computer system, the management tool including a list identifier, establishing on a server computer system remote from the client computer system an item database including item information relating to a first item, and a list database including a list associated with the list identifier, the list including the first item, establishing a communications link to an item provider computer system remote from both the server computer system and the client computer system, responsive to a command from the server computer system, updating the item information in the item database; and responsive to a command issued to the client computer system and the list identifier, retrieving to the client computer system the updated information corresponding to an item on the list associated with the list identifier.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for maintaining an electronic shopping list on a computer system linked to a network, the shopping list including at least one record, each record containing information relating to a product, the method comprising: establishing a shopping list management toolbar on an Internet browser on a client computer system, the client computer system in communication with the Internet, establishing on a server computer system in communication with the Internet, a shopping list database, the shopping list database including a first shopping list having a shopping list identifier, providing the shopping list identifier to the shopping list management toolbar, communicating the shopping list identifier to the shopping list database, retrieving a copy of the first shopping list from the shopping list database to the shopping list management toolbar responsive to the shopping list identifier, establishing communications via the Internet with a product provider computer system, the product database including product information relating to a first product, revising the retrieved copy of the first shopping list on the shopping list management toolbar to include a pointer referencing the product information relating to the first product, and updating the first shopping list in the shopping list database to reflect the revisions to the retrieved shopping list.
Numerous other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.